[Le morte darthur]

¶Capitulum xviij

SOo whan she was sette betwixe them bothe / she sayd these wordes vnto sir Tristram / wete ye wel syr Tris∣tram de lyones that but late thou was the man in the world that I moost loued and trusted / And I wende thou haddest loued me ageyne aboue alle ladyes / But whan thou sawest this knyght lede me awey thou madest no chere to resco¦we me / but suffred my lord Segwarydes ryde after me / but vn tyl that tyme I wend thou haddest loued me / And ther∣fore now I wille leue the / and neuer loue the more / & there with alle she went vnto sir Bleoberys / whan syr Tristram sa¦we her doo soo / he was wonderly wrothe with that lady & asha∣med to come to the courte / sir Tristram said sir Bleoberys ye are in the defaute / for I here by those ladyes wordes / she before this day trusted you aboue alle erthely knyghtes / and as she saith ye haue deceyued her / therfore wete ye wel / ther may noo man hold that wille aweye / and rather than ye shold be her∣tely displeasyd with me / I wold ye had her / and she wold abyde with you / Nay said the lady / so god me help I wil ne∣uer goo with hym / For he that I loued most / I wende he had loued me / And therfore sire Trystram she said ryde as thou cam / for though thou haddest ouercome this knyʒt as ye was lykely / with the neuer wold I haue gone / And I shall pray this knyghte soo faire of his knyghthode that or euer he passe

this countrey / that he wille lede me to the Abbeye / there my lo∣rd syr Segwarydes lyeth Soo god me helpe said Bleoberis I lete yow wete good knyght sire Trystram by cause kynge Marke gaf me the choyse of a yefte in this courte / and so this lady lyked me best / Not withstandynge she is wedded and hath a lord / and I haue fulfylled my quest / she shall be sent vnto her husband ageyne / And in especyal moost for youre sake sir Trystram / And yf she wold goo with you / I wold ye had her / I thanke you said syr Trystram / but for her loue I shal beware what manere a lady I shalle loue or truste / For had her lord syr Segwarydes ben away from the courte I shold haue ben the fyrst that shold haue folowed yow / but sythen ye haue refused me / as I am true knyght I shalle her knowe passyngly wel that I shal loue or trust / and soo they took theyr leue one fro thother and departed / And soo sir tris¦tram rode vnto Tyntagyl / and syr Bleoberys rode vnto the ab¦bay where syr segwarydes lay sore wounded / and there he de∣lyuerd his lady / and departed as a noble knyght / & whan sir segwarydes sawe his lady / he was gretely comforted / and thenne she told hym that sir Trystram had done grete bataill with syre Bleoberys / and caused hym to brynge her ageyne / These wordes pleasyd sir segwarydes ryght wel that sir tris¦tram wold doo soo moche / and soo that lady told alle the bata∣ill vnto kynge Marke betwixe syr Trystram and sir Bleobe∣rys